New Beginnings Part 5: From Despair To Where?
by JetNoir
Summary: The epic conclusion (!) to the New Beginnings series, sees a series of changes, that few could have anticipated. In three parts. ;)


**Note: **The chapter of this story was finished and uploaded on the 25th October 2004. Nearly three years ago…Whoops. So this is a slightly cleaned up version, and as the next chapter (when it's finally finished will state), the word's are mostly the same, but the format is much easier for me to read - so in turn, I hope it will for you. This story is the conclusion of a saga set in the aftermath of The Spirits Within, and was meant to set up a larger story, while itself concluding (hopefully) satisfactorily. Oddly enough, this story predates Hurricane Katrina, so the reference to a rebuilt New Orleans has nothing whatsoever to do with that tragedy, rather a re-building after it had fallen into ruin, like every other city on Earth during the time the Phantom's roamed free. So, enough words: the finale.

**New Beginnings Part V**

**FROM DESPAIR TO WHERE?**

**a Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within fanfic by JetNoir**

**part one of a three part story**

**with extra-special thanks to Ovo, for still reading after all this time**

**and to ****LadyKayoss, weyland-yutani, Dreamy Sorceress, and Enigma**

--

A Dismal Colour

The very air was saturated with the smell of flowers as the man walked slowly down the street. Nobody recognised him, but then, the man wasn't surprised. It was intentional. A few minor alterations, and even his own mother wouldn't known who he was. Even so, despite his precautions, he self-consciously pulled his wide-brimmed hat down nearer his eyes, and pulled his collar up, a little higher. Good thing is was late autumn; a private eye look-a-likey would have attracted some attention in the middle of summer. It had been such a long time, and now…this overload on his senses, ones that had not been used for long years, for what felt like millennia.

The sweet sound of jazz pervaded his ears, as he once again smelled flowers, this time intermingled with the delicious scent of long forgotten food. He smiled quietly as he continued walking.

His eyes burned with the colours, and they had such intense brilliance that he almost wept with the sheer, pure joy of seeing again.

Not blind…well perhaps blind to this world, but now again he could see, smell, taste or touch.

You see; it's very difficult to do these things when you're dead.

--

Hein

A bullet slowly floated out of the gun, as the chamber slid back, again and again. The motion was repetitive, and quiet. Almost soothing. He continued until one bullet remained, then placed it to the side of his head, screwed up his eyes…

_Beat._

_Breath._

As he pulled the trigger, he eagerly awaited the release that such death would bring it, and as the bullet entered his brain, then ripped through the other side of his skull…

He opened he eyes. The vision, that accursed vision of the damn Doctor! The traitor, she who was selling them to the Phantoms; no, was a Phantom!

She had to be stopped, and as he heard the faint beeping of the console in front of him, he looked up, and let the gun simply float away, in the null gravity around him.

_**DESTINATION?**_

There it was again. The choice. But what to do? What to do?

_ZE_

His wife and daughter, invisible tendrils snaking up from out the ground. Dead, alone. Dead.

_US_

Elliot. The Major's bloodstained hand reaching up to him, towards the heavens, towards Osiris, the God of the Dead and the Damned. _The Evils of Working For An Obviously Despotic, Almost Tyrannical, And Close To Insane-With-Desire-For-Retribution Military Leader._ But it was a choice that he had made, and made willingly.

All those had died had chosen to die, simply by living. And it was all because of that Doctor.

May she rot in hell.

--

Sid / Hee

_Here comes the Bride_

Radiant, despite age, face aglow, Councilwoman Hee walked down the aisle of the church in Old New York – newly restored – to join her one, her beloved. Their new beginning was together and happiness was plentiful and overflowing.

_Short, fat and wi-_

"I heard that!" she called into the giggling congregation, and the giggling soon erupted into gales of laughter from everyone around. Hee smiled and looked ahead. There had been to few laughs the past years, but now…there were many years ahead. And there he was. Her one, her beloved. _I think he looked better with hair!_ Where had that come from? She shook her head to shift the bizarre thought, and looked towards the best man. Ahem…best woman. Despite of tradition, Sid had insisted that Aki be there to share his joy, and joyful she was. _She's changed. That trip to the Caspian Mountains helped, I think._

She took her place and smiled again, and before the priest started she murmured to Sid:

"Darling…I have something to tell you."

"Yes?" he whispered back.

"I'm pregnant."

The horrified look on Sid's face was worth the little white lie a thousand times over.

--

Ryan / Jane / Neil

Light filtered through the trees as the three soldiers walked around their now familiar environment.

"Even after all this time," Neil muttered, "it's still so beautiful. I wish the Captain could see this."

Jane snorted. "How come you're going all sentimental? The Captain is probably still enjoying his life – a happy one, mind – with Dr Ross. Because he's not here yet."

"I wish I knew what this place was," Neil sighed, "It may be beautiful, but stuck here? I don't know. New York City still sounds pretty good to me."

"Am I a man dreaming he's a butterfly," whispered Ryan, an uncharacteristic soft voice, "or a butterfly dreaming he's a man."

The other two soldiers stared at him blankly, as Ryan shook his head slightly, as if to dispel a bad thought. He turned to them, a cheery smile in his face:

"So…what's for breakfast?"

--

SID

The laboratory was busy this morning, as Dr Sid – just returned from his honeymoon – was busy typing in data at a computer, while his long-time assistant, Betty, was carefully manipulating a scanner over a sample of soil.

"So," Betty smiled, "how was it?"

"How was what?" Dr Sid murmured,

"Your honeymoon! Did you enjoy it?"

It seemed that Sid's mind was not on his honeymoon however.

"Betty, would you please check sector 54-6? Oh, and page Aki, I need to talk to her quickly." Knowing when his voice meant all business, Betty nodded, and moved the scanner to the sector, while with her other hand, trailed it over her keyboard to signal Dr Aki Ross.

Something was wrong, very wrong for Dr Sid to call his colleague in on her day off, something that couldn't wait.

Dr Sid's bald head drooped slightly as he studied the formulae, that mysterious formulae on screen intently.

--

Aki

Meanwhile, a few miles away Dr Aki Ross sighed happily, as the sun beat down on the beach she was laying upon with her boyfriend of two years. They were sipping champagne as the sea gently rolled up below them. The peace, however, was brutally shattered by an alarm ringing from Aki's waist.

"Ignore it," Michael said.

"No," Aki replied, looking at it, "its Betty. Must be something important. I've got to go."

Michael smiled. "Well," he began, I was going to do this later, but it seems that I should do this now." He took out a small box.

"Aki. Will you-"

--

Hein

Asleep. It has been so long since my eyes drifted into eternity. Perhaps a change. Perhaps I was wrong, and this is my rightful punishment.

Arrogance.

She always said it was my biggest flaw. I could never bear to be wrong, and now. Boomerang. _What goes around comes around._ Oh to see them again. What I wouldn't give. To. See. Them. Again.

He shut his eyes.

_Beat_

_Breath_

He opened his eyes.

In front of him were his wife and daughter. His family.

_It really is that simple,_ he wondered, amazed. They were smiling, laughing, just like they used to do, and, amazingly, so was he. It seemed that love really did bring people together, that there really is happily ever after, in the here and after.

Holding close to his family, he looked up at the stars and wept, with pure, unrestrained joy.

"Are you okay Daddy," the little girl asked him.

He knelt down to her:

"Yes," he whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks, smiling, smiling, "everything's just fine darling. I'll never leave you again. Not now, or for all eternity."

--

Gray

He had been in 'Nawlins for some time now, and finally decided to move on. Before the Phantoms were destroyed it was a place he never thought he would see, and for a dead man, it was healing for his soul.

But now it was time to move on, and somewhere, there was a very important season that he must find, at any or all cost.

"_Captain._"

Gray jumped in shock as he heard Ryan's voice float into his ear, then the same word repeated, but this time it was Jane's and then Neil's.

"Deep Eyes," Gray murmured, "Hold on."

Instead of his destination, he changed his mind. The New Beginnings must wait.

Gray screwed up his eyes in concentration and simply disappeared.

The busy, rebuilt, New Orleans carried on regardless, as if nothing had ever happened.

--

Somewhere, over the Rainbow

The Blue Fairy looked out upon the Earth, his eyes sad.

"It will soon be time," he began.

"Time indeed."

**To Be Continued**

**in**

**part two of three**

**Original story completed: 25****th**** October 2004**

**Updated version completed: 8****th**** October 2007**

**Note:** Right, part two will be up as soon as I've finished it, so I'm hoping before Christmas. I do hope you enjoyed this story, and please review.

**Disclaimer:** All the characters (excepting the Blue Fairy who is copyrighted to whoever owns Pinocchio) are copyright to Square Pictures; and the story to me. This story has been written on the understanding that you may read it and print it out; but you may not pass it off as your own, hire it out, or sell it for money. You also may not put it on your own or any other web page (this includes links) without my express written permission. Thankyou!

**JetNoir**


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